About this good practice
Problem: Critical environment for digital startups
The Kortrijk region faces several local development challenges:
● Brain drain
● Scarcity of suitable space for startups
● Need for companies to be close for cross-pollination and innovation.
● Demand for spaces that foster digital innovation and technological advancements.
Solution: A co-creation hub and incubator
Hangar K aims to support entrepreneurship and high potentials in the digital and creative industries. It inspires graduates to start businesses, guides startups in growth, and helps scale-ups leverage corporate networks, focusing on digital, EdTech, gaming, and creative sectors.
Hangar K serves as an ecosystem for innovation and collaboration, providing an inspiring environment for young entrepreneurs and hosting a diverse community of companies, students, and hubs.
Stakeholders include the City of Kortrijk, Flanders Government, Leiedal, academic and business partners
Beneficiaries are startups and young entrepreneurs who gain access to an inspiring space, support, and professional networks. Employers benefit from access to smart, innovative talent, strengthening economic development. Educational partners thrive in an innovative ecosystem, and public authorities create a more attractive economic region.
Resources needed
Kortrijk invested in the building and made it available for free during the first years. After few years Hangar K became a selfsustaining incubator.
The main partners pay a yearly fee and delegate a representative for the board of administrators. Companies pay a monthly rent for these spaces.
Evidence of success
After the first five years of operation, the economic impact of Hangar K is evident:
● 192 start-ups are active in 11 countries.
● Nearly 100 student entrepreneurs have found their way here.
● Hangar K houses two hubs: Gaming and EdTech
● It is the only self-sustaining incubator f its kind.
It serves as a co-creation hub that brings together startups, businesses, and knowledge institutions under one roof.
Hangar K is also part of the urban development project Kortrijk Weide
Potential for learning or transfer
For regions suffering a certain brain drain and a lack of space for entrepreneurs, Hangar K is a good example of an incubator that works within the concept of the quadruple helix. In this way the common interests are combined, fostering creativity, innovation, digitisation, growth and employment.
For the transfer and the adaptation to other regional particularities there are no specific structural requirements. Hangar K shows that an incubator can be self-sufficient after a certain time.
Further information
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
